The root cause for corruption is faulty selection process in india. Our electoral system doesn’t have practical checks on expenditure , therefore candidates with money power , muscle power are getting elected as MPs , MLAs and have even went on to become ministers. Just for example see mysore roost resort sex scandal , recent delhi judicial recruitment scandal how unfit candidates were selected as judges. See recent KPSC scam of Karnataka , how judges / quasi judicial officers , police were selected . During merited candidates , those belonging to backward classes , dalit communities were suppressed , their voices silenced all to select mighty people.

Even collegiums system followed by supreme court of india to select SUPREME COURT JUDGES is faulty , it favours only those with proper connections not the merited , experienced judges.

Unfit Candidates appointed to RBI currency printing press through illegal means were responsible for currency thefts from the press.

When a candidate resorts to criminal means to get selected into public service naturally he won’t to do public service in office . he will do his self service , to amass money at all costs.

In Karnataka state just a few years ago , irregular , illegal recruitments were made by KPSC , MIMS , HIMS , KSOU , Mysore university , etc depriving merited candidates. Unfit candidates recruited thus through criminal means are criminals themselves are enjoying their positions and are working as police , judges / magistrates , etc. What a shame to see a criminal judging others . Why the delay by Supreme Court of India in taking action against the criminals?

Records show that most of the other candidates barely managed to secure qualifying marks while 644 failed by huge margins.

The Union Law Minister has asked the Delhi High Court Chief Justice to look into allegations of “corruption, favouritism and nepotism” in the Delhi Judicial Services exam that was held in the national capital last year. In a letter dated June 18, 2015, to Delhi High Court Chief Justice G Rohini, Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda wrote that his ministry had received complaints about children of sitting Delhi High Court judges being declared successful when judges of the same court were involved in the examination process.

Of the 659 candidates who appeared for the exam for the prestigious post of a Delhi judge, only 15 — a little more than 2 per cent — were declared successful in the results announced on May 1 this year. Records show that most of the other candidates barely managed to secure qualifying marks while 644 failed by huge margins. The topper and another successful candidate are daughters of sitting judges of the Delhi High Court, which conducted the exam. The judges of the High Court were also involved in the preparation of question papers, evaluation of answer sheets and the interview process. In his letter, Gowda wrote that “the Department of Justice has received many grievances alleging corruption, favouritism and nepotism in the recently concluded Delhi Judicial Services Examination, 2014”. Gowda’s letter, naming the sitting High Court judges whose daughters figure in the list of 15 successful candidates, stated: “The petitioners have alleged that the answer sheets were evaluated by those sitting judges whose sons/daughters/relatives took the exam. It has also been stated that the Delhi High Court failed to give satisfactory reply to their RTI query in this regard.” Attaching four such complaints along with the letter, Gowda added: “The grievance-holders have requested that a probe in the whole scam be made, this examination be scrapped or answer sheets of all 660 candidates be re-evaluated and final results be declared.” The letter also highlighted the seriousness of the issue and referred to the outrage that erupted over the results that were declared last month. The preliminary round of the exam was held on June 1, 2014 and the Mains were conducted on October 10-11 to fill up 80 vacancies of district and sessions judges in Delhi. ”(The) Department of Justice has recently forwarded a couple of similar grievances to Registrar General of the Delhi High Court for taking action, as appropriate. I, however, thought it fit to bring the matter to your notice for action, as appropriate,” Gowda wrote. Despite repeated attempts by The Indian Express, High Court Chief Justice Rohini and registrar in charge of the Chief Justice’s office H C Suri were unavailable for comment. Incidentally, the Delhi Judicial Service exam in 1990 was cancelled over complaints of bias and nepotism after a group of lawyers and aspirants protested against the selection of candidates related to sitting judges of the High Court. The exam was re-conducted in 1991 and many candidates, who could not pass in the previous year, were declared successful. Many of them are still serving as district and sessions judges in Delhi courts.

Vyapam scam: twists and turns

A look at the trail the Vyapam scam has left since 2007.

The scam involves massive irregularities and corruption in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) or MP Vyavsayik Pareeksha Mandal, abbreviated in Hindi as Vyapam.

48deaths

Noting that it will not allow even one more death, the Supreme Court transferred all criminal and death cases linked to the Vyapam scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a “fair and impartial” probe.

The Supreme Court has ordered a CBI probe into the multi-crore cash-for-jobs scam in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board that has resulted in unexplained deaths of key accused and witnesses.

» Congress leaders openly accused MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his wife of being involved in the scam. Later, they submitted the "original evidence".

» Earlier this year, Chief Minister Chouhan claimed in aletter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi that the developments regarding the Vyapam scam provided proof of his honesty as he was the one who ordered a probe into it.

Editorial : VYAPAM Scam - Life Protection responsibility of MP High Court Is it not the duty of the presiding judge of Madhya Pradesh high court , to order for protection of whistle blowers , accussed , witnesses & investigating officials with respect to VYAPAM scam . Series of unnatural deaths of persons connected to VYAPAM scam raises doubting fingers at the high court judge himself ? whether the HC judge & police are hand in glove with scamsters ? Supreme court of india must take notice of it , must order for a CBI inquiry monitored by itself , then only justice will be done or else death series may continue .

Vyapam scam: SC notice to Madhya Pradesh governor, Centre

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the government, the state of Madhya Pradesh and the governor of Madhya Pradesh on a plea seeking the removal of Madhya Pradesh governor Ram Naresh Yadav for his alleged role in the Vyapam scam case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India H.L Dattu tagged the case with a bunch of petitions dealing with the mass admission scam in Madhya Pradesh and sought replies from all parties within three weeks.

“The Centre must make a framework on how to deal with allegations of corruption on governors of states and issue guidelines,” the judges said.

The cases relate to the swindle in which corruption has been alleged in the examinations conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, also known by its Hindi acronym Vyapam.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the Vyapam probe. Ram Naresh Yadav and his son have been named in the first information report as accused in the case. However, the federal agency did not investigate the role of the governor as he enjoys constitutional immunity against arrest and criminal investigation.

Vyapam scam: Central observer found dead on railway tracks in Odisha

A retired bureaucrat who was an observer for two recruitment tests in the Vyapam scam was found dead in Odisha, turning the spotlight back on the mysterious deaths of several people linked to the scandal.

The body of retired Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer Vijay Bahadur was found on a railway track in Jharsuguda early on October 15, police in Odisha said on Friday.

Bahadur was returning to Bhopal from Puri by the Puri-Jodhpur Express with his wife Nita Singh after attending a reunion of 1978 batch IFS officers, Government Railway Police (GRP) officials in Jharsuguda told HT over.

The recovery of the body revived memories of the death of medical student Namrata Damor, whose body was also recovered on railway tracks near Ujjain in January 2012, more than 150 km from her home in Jhabua.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had observed that mysterious deaths related to the Vyapam scam has “suddenly stopped” after the case was transferred to the CBI.

Besides all cases related to the scam, including rigging of recruitment examinations and entrance tests to professional medical colleges held between 2004 and 2012, the CBI is also probing several mysterious deaths linked to the scam.

The opposition Congress in the state and whistle-blowers say that the death of these people, linked to the scam in some way or the other, was part of a conspiracy to silence key witnesses.

Deputy superintendent of police, GRP (Jharsuguda), Dilip Bag, told HT over phone that prima facie Bahadur’s death was likely due to a fall from the moving train. “However we are awaiting postmortem report and further investigation would be based on that,” he said.

Though family members of Bahadur could not be contacted for comments, inquiry officer of the case, Kuldip Patel said Nita Singh raised questions over the open door of the AC compartment and the absence of a coach attendant.

“She told us that Bahadur had gone to close the open door and did not return,” he said.

Vyapam whistleblower Ajay Dubey, who has in the past repeatedly demanded quizzing of central observers of Vyapam entrance and recruitment tests that were found compromised, has raised questions over the incident.

“Falling down from train at such late hours does not seem normal. The CBI should investigate the death,” he demanded. He also pointed out the eerie similarities of the incident with the case of Damor

Giving details of the incident, Patel said Nita Singh reported about her husband going missing to the TTE of the train near Raigarh station, about 70km from Jharsuguda.

Names Of Judges Linked To Vyapam Admissions Scam Given To Court

BHOPAL: A list of judges of the Madhya Pradesh high court with links to the ever-widening Vyapam scam has now been handed over in a sealed envelope to India's Chief Justice.

Documents have been submitted in the Supreme Court by whistleblowers who allege that children and relatives of judges, IAS and IPS officers are among those who bought seats in private medical and dental colleges.

In an interview with NDTV on Thursday, whistleblower Anand Rai said he, among others, had submitted the names of judges linked to the admissions scam in private colleges to Chief Justice HL Duttu in a sealed envelope.

The whistleblowers cite these documents, which mention that "kith and kin" of judges benefited - to argue that the judiciary in Madhya Pradesh cannot be objective in the hearing of the admission scam, sources say.

"We are under threat of life and limb," the whistleblowers have said. One of them, Ashish Chaturvedi, told NDTV that despite more than 10 threats and attempts on his life, he would not budge from his mission to expose "big fish" including chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

There have been 36 deaths in the scandal, in which thousands of people are alleged to have paid bribes in return for government jobs or for college admissions.

The Supreme Court today said the CBI would investigate the scandal as well as the deaths linked to it.

Whistleblowers allege that the scam is not confined to government institutions; paid seats were given out in private medical and dental colleges to relatives of ministers, judges and bureaucrats.

Nearly 2,000 people have been arrested since the scandal erupted in 2012, including a former state minister, several top bureaucrats and hundreds of students.

The top court today also issued notice to the state Governor, Ram Naresh Yadav, on a petition seeking his removal. He and his son were accused last year of accepting bribes in a First Information Report or FIR by the Special Task Force of the state police that is investigating the Vyapam scam.

The onus for ordering a CBI probe into the Vyapam scam now rests with Supreme Court after the Madhya Pradesh High Court today deferred hearing on a state government's plea for an inquiry by the central agency, saying the apex court would hear similar petitions tomorrow.

As the MP High Court deferred the hearing till July 20, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was in Delhi, said his government will request the Supreme Court for a CBI inquiry into the scandal which, according to congress has claimed 49 lives so far.

Meanwhile, the massive admission and recruitment scam that has seriously dented the state's BJP government's public image, took another murky turn with the post mortem report of a female MBBS student, a suspect in the case whose body was found beside railway tracks in Ujjain in 2012, maintaining it was a "homicidal" death caused by "violent axphyxia".

As the report came into the public domain for the first time at the height of the controversy over a string of mysterious deaths of people associated with Vyapam, including five over the past week, the Madhya Pradesh police decided to reopen the case and launch fresh investigation.

Police had registered a case of murder following Amrita Damor's death but later closed it describing it as an "accident". The case that had faded from public memory with time, had come into focus last week when TV Today group journalist Akshay Singh died soon after interviewing her parents.

A day after the Chouhan government buckled under heightened all round pressure and moved the High Court seeking a CBI probe, the matter came up before a division bench headed by Chief Justice A M Khankilwar which deferred the hearing till July 20 on the ground that the Supreme Court is to hear a clutch of similar pleas tomorrow.

Additional Advocate General P Kaurav said the state government had in its plea contended that though the Special Task Force of MP police was "efficiently" investigating the scam, it wants a CBI inquiry following the "recent unfortunate incidents".

The Supreme Court had yesterday agreed to hear tomorrow the plea of Congress leader Digvijay Singh and three whistle-blowers -- Ashish Chaturvedi, Anand Rai and Prashant Pandey -- seeking a CBI probe into the scam.

More than 40 people associated with the Vyapam scam have died since 2013. Here is a TOI lowdown on the scam and related developments.

What is this scam all about?

The Vyapam scam pertains to manipulation in the selection process for government jobs conducted by the MP Professional Examination Board.

It involves Madhya Pradesh Vyavsayik Pareeksha Mandal (Vyapam) which conducts tests for professional courses and recruitment to various posts.

Officials, businessmen and politicians are said to be involved in putting up proxy examinees on basis of which candidates were admitted and recruited.

Growing toll

One after the other, people variously linked with the Vyapam scam, are dying. The mystery deepens with every new death reported even as the probe agencies struggle to unravel it.

A cursory perusal shows that not only have candidates died but also dummy aspirants as also those probing the scam.

The MP government on June 25 admitted in the high court that 25 accused have died.

However, TOI's investigations put the death toll at 46.

The probe

Initially, the MP government had formed a special task force to probe the scam. However, The MP high court, rejecting Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's demand for a CBI probe, on November 5, 2014 formed a special investigating team (SIT) to investigate the scam.

On July 7, the Supreme Court agreed to hear petitions seeking a CBI probe into the Vyapam scam.

The SC hearing will take place on July 9.

Arrests

Over 2,000 people have been arrested in connection with the scam so far, including former education minister Laxmikant Sharma. The arrested people included over a hundred of politicians, several MPPEB officials, bureaucrats, middlemen, students and their parents.

Whistleblowers

The investigation in the scam commenced on July 7, 2013 on the basis of a report lodged on the information of an Indore-based civil rights activist, Dr Anand Rai.

Forensic expert Prashant Pandey said he became a whistleblower in July last year, when he realised the special task force was relying on documents that seemed to have been tampered with.

Gwalior-based social activist Ashish Chaturvedi claims to have disclosed the involvement of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's relatives and seven others in the scam.

All whistleblowers claim that they fear for their lives.

Vyapam is an albatross for high-flying MP CM

The numerous deaths are a serious setback for MP CM Chouhan, and represent a rare vulnerability in the political armour of the earthy politician who has been on a winning spree since his installation as CM in 2005.

The most famous allegation against Chouhan being the so-called dumper scam which allegedly involved his wife Sadhana Singh and her relatives.

MP CM says 'not fair to link all deaths with Vyapam'

MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that it was not fair to link all unnatural deaths in the state with the Vyapam scam.

Vyapam death count rises by 2, Uma Bharati says she's scared

NEW DELHI: The Vyapam cloud darkened over the BJP government in MP on Monday with two more deaths in the state getting linked to the admission and recruitment racket and Union water resources minister Uma Bharati saying she was scared by the spate of mysterious deaths.

"There is panic in MP due to the deaths. I am scared for the lives of people connected to me. I am a minister but still I am scared. I will convey my fears to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan," Bharati said on a day when two more persons — woman sub-inspector Anamika Kushwaha, recruited through the MP Professional Examination Board, and police constable Ramakant Pandey, a suspect in the scam — died in suspicious circumstances.

Both were said to have committed suicide. But like in other deaths connected to the scam, the explanation failed to lift the stench of conspiracy. In the case of Kushwaha, who was found in a lake in Sagar, her father refused to cry foul play, but her sister found the death suspicious.

Coming hours after the death of TV journalist Akshay Singh, who died just after interviewing the family of a scam accused who had died three years ago, Sharma's demise thickened the already deep air of conspiracy around the probe into the scam, and is likely to lead the beleaguered Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government to offer a CBI probe if asked by the Supreme Court.

With the opposition pouncing upon the rising death toll of those linked to the admission racket, better known as Vyapam scam, Chouhan readily agreed to the demand of Akshay Singh's family for his viscera to be examined outside Madhya Pradesh, either at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi or Central Forensic Science Laboratory.

Sharma, who was heading a team constituted by the Madhya Pradesh government to assist the probe into the Vyapam scam, was supposed to take a flight to Agartala at 6.10 am and had askedTHE HOTEL v:shapes="_x0000_i1028">staff to give him a wake-up call at 4.30 am. When he did not open the door, the police was informed at 6 am.

Sharma, 64, was found lying on his bed and was rushed to Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital where doctors pronounced him "brought dead". A near-empty bottle of liquor and some pills, said to be related to diabetes, were found in the room. He became the 46th person related to the Vyapam scam to be found dead.

While the result of the autopsy will shed light on the probable cause of the sudden demise, the back-to-back deaths of Sharma and Akshay Singh have put the Chouhan government under pressure, while giving opposition an opening to target the BJP.

Opposition demanded a CBI probe into the deaths of Singh and Sharma, while Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal attended the journalist's cremation in Delhi.

The timing of the mysterious deaths could not have been worse. They coincide with the attack on the Modi government over the Lalit Modi scam, and can be handy for the opposition to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi's achievement in ensuring a scam-free year at the Centre.

With Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje under fire over her links with Lalit Modi, the adverse spotlight on Chouhan can help Congress assault the peripheries before it gets ready for an attack on the Centre.

Akshay Singh suffered a heart attack while he was interviewing the family of scam accused Namrata Singh Damor, who died three years ago.

The Jabalpur branch of Indian Medical Association (IMA) cried foul and demanded a CBI probe into Sharma's death, saying he was in the know of the conspiracy behind the suspicious death of his close friend and predecessor at the Netaji Subhash Bose Medical College, Dr D K Sakalle. Like Sharma, Sakalle too was in the committee probing the multi-layered admission scam.

Both Sharma and Sakalle were heading the photo mismatch and document verification committee investigating the credential of students suspected of having used unfair means for clearing the PMT and pre-PG exams conducted by Vyapam. Several admissions were terminated for using unfair means during the joint investigation by the duo.

President of IMA's Jabalpur branch Dr Sudhir Tiwari said two days ago that Sharma had handed over a 200-page file with incriminating documents on the Vyapam scam to police officers.

Sharma took charge as dean on June 1. Earlier, he was head of radiology department in the same college. "Dr Sakalle died on July 4, 2014. Is it mere coincidence that Dr Sharma also passed away on July 4 this year," Tiwari asked.

On Thursday, Dr Tiwari alleged that former dean Dr D K Sakalle, who was in the investigating committee probing the multi-layered scam, was murdered with 'Chinese laser weapon' a year ago.

The Karnataka Bar Council continued to insist for a CBI probe against the Lokayukta. "We have collected plenty of evidences to show that the Lokayukta is a direct beneficiary of the extortion racket run by his son. Unfortunately, there is no formal probe into the matter," lamented Council Chairman PP Hegde.

With pressure to quit mounting on Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao whose son is facing graft charges, on Monday, several important files were shifted from the anti-corruption institution's office leading to plenty of speculations.

The sudden decision to transfer the files flummoxed a few officers of the Lokayukta. When queried by the media, Justice Rao did not offer an explanation. It was not known what files were transferred from his office. All the files were bundled in the evening into a second car that followed the Lokayukta's official car in the presence of the media and the same was caught on cameras. However, the Lokayukta staff were seen objecting to the presence of the electronic media when the files were being transferred.

Anti-corruption crusaders have accused Justice Rao of destroying evidence after it was alleged that his son was running an extortion racket from within the premises of the Lokayukta office. His son is accused of extorting crores of rupees from corrupt officers with the assistance of the Lokayukta staff. However, by the time a formal investigation was ordered, the CCTV recording, which captured the presence of visitors to the office, was deleted. This, the activists, alleged, was to ensure that the Lokayukta's son was not seen in any of the CCTV footage.

Now, the transfer of unknown files has further led to unnecessary speculations over the fate of the issue rocking the Lokayukta institution. Justice Rao has refused to step down despite such charges against his son. A FIR has already been filed against his son in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, the Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa has decided to constitute a Legislature Advisory Committee to examine the proposal given by the Opposition leaders to move an impeachment motion against Justice Rao to remove him from the post in the wake of the serious allegations.

The Karnataka Bar Council continued to insist for a CBI probe against the Lokayukta. "We have collected plenty of evidences to show that the Lokayukta is a direct beneficiary of the extortion racket run by his son. Unfortunately, there is no formal probe into the matter," lamented Council Chairman PP Hegde.

Though the government ordered a probe into the graft charges by a Special Investigation Team, Justice Rao's son managed to obtain a stay against it by the High Court of Karnataka. With this, the status quo of the case remains unchanged with political parties cutting across party lines seeking the resignation of Justice Rao.

How Lokayukta Bhaskar Rao is holding Karnataka to ransom

By Aravinda Gowda

What do people in power do when their own blood is accused of committing crimes by misusing their office? World over, the norm for such people is to quit office and make way for a free and fair probe to ascertain whether their kin is involved in the alleged crime. But for the Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao, a retired chief justice of the High Court of Karnataka, that does not seem to be the norm.

Though an FIR has been registered against his son for allegedly running an extortion racket from within the premises of the Lokayukta, the learned judge is of the view that he should quit only if his son is found guilty!

For the last one month, Karnataka has been witnessing one of the premier battles the civil society has ever engaged with the Lokayukta. The anti-corruption ombudsman is supposed to be the saviour of the public by protecting ordinary people from falling prey to the designs of corrupt officers. But alas! Here the Lokayukta and his son are facing serious corruption charges – having been accused of extorting crores of rupees from corrupt officers in return for “protection” – in a classic case of fence eating the crop. No amount of pressure from the civil society, advocates’ fraternity and activists seem to be bothering the Lokayukta. Putting up a defiant face, Justice Rao has a one-line prepared answer for everything – “I will quit only if my son is found guilty.”

Former judge of the Supreme Court and one of the best Lokayuktas the country has ever seen, Justice Santosh Hegde, summed up the situation very well, “If his son is found guilty, he (Justice Bhaskar Rao) has to straight walk into a jail cell for protecting his kin. The question of him quitting if his son is found guilty does not arise at all.”

The hard stand taken by Justice Rao has not only shocked everyone but has become the most-debated topic on TV channels and the media. The flow of events in the last 30 days gives anybody an impression that Justice Rao is bent on protecting himself and his son at any cost.

When initial reports came out that an extortion racket is being run by a section of the Lokayukta police wing officials, he ignored it. Then, came another report that the extortion racket was being run from the Lokayukta’s official residence, he ignored it while civil society demanded an explanation. With pressure mounting, Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash B Adiwas forced to act to save the honour of the institution. He ordered an inquiry into the incident.

But when Adiwas out of Bengaluru on an official assignment, Justice Rao ordered a fresh inquiry by an incompetent City Crime Branch (CCB) overruling that of the Upa Lokayukta. Worse, the CCB refused to take up the probe and Justice Rao was humiliated. He withdrew the order and urged the government to set up an independent investigation team and the same was accepted. Simultaneously, he once again nullified the order issued by the Upa Lokayukta. At the same time, Justice Rao’s son approached the High Court of Karnataka and managed to obtain a stay against an investigation requested by his father! Nothing can be more evident than this that both father and son have a lot at stake.

Seeing the drama unfold in the ugliest manner, the political leaders, belatedly jumped into the scene. Now, the members of the legislature have sought permission from the presiding officers to move an impeachment motion against Justice Rao to unseat him from the post of the Lokayukta.

Nothing can be more insulting for a retired chief justice than this. Well, it is high time that Justice Rao puts down his papers and paves the way for an independent investigation. For, people of Karnataka have already lost faith in the Lokayukta.

Subject : - PIL Appeal To Honorable Supreme court of India For Writ of Mandamus ATROCITIES AGAINST DALITS IN KARNATAKA BY HONOURABLE GOVERNOR OF KARNATAKA

In Karnataka dalits are oppressed in various ways by the influential people ,

1. In the recruitment process at Karnataka State Open University , vice chancellor / vested interests recruited unfit candidates belonging to their own community sidelining the deserving dalit candidates .

2. In the recruitment process at Mysore University , vice chancellor / vested interests recruited unfit candidates belonging to their own community sidelining the deserving dalit candidates .

4. In the recruitment process of KPSC for gazetted officers , vested interests recruited unfit candidates belonging to their own community sidelining the deserving dalit candidates .

5. The Karnataka government officials immediately evict temporary hutments built by tribals , dalits on government land and demolish those hutments. Whereas they allow huge buildings , complexes to be built on government land by influential upper caste people. The government has kept those illegal buildings intact for years , allowed the encroachers to earn lakhs of rupees and now in the process of regularizing those illegal encroachments.

The honourable governor of Karnataka , instead of taking legal action and legally prosecuting the guilty has taken side with the guilty themselves. He has approved AKRAMA SAKRAMA scheme of the government , no action was taken against vice chancellors of KSOU & Mysore University, etc. This is nothing but indirect way of atrocities against dalits , by supporting perpetrators of atrocities.

As a result , Since years unfit people are working as KAS officers , unfit people are working in KSOU , Mysore University , Unfit people are working in medical colleges of Madya / Hassan / Mysore / Shimoga and earning thousands of rupees monthly salary. Influential upper caste people are earning lakhs of rupees as rent from land encroachments and are on the verge of becoming legal owners of encroached lands.

The poor dalits although talented & deserving are without jobs , without livelihood & shelter.

Hereby , we appeal to Honourable Supreme Court of India ,

1. To criminally prosecute government of Karnataka chief secretary & governor of Karnataka , for all the above mentioned recruitment scandals , for their failure of duties.

2. To immediately evict land encroachers & prosecute them.

3. To recover monetary gains made by the encroachers.

4. To terminate the services of unfit candidates selected in the above mentioned recruitment processes.

5. To legally prosecute the recruiting authority officials in all the above recruitments.

6. To make proper appointments with due consideration to dalits , backward class people in all the above institutions.

Date : 01.02.2014 Your’s sincerely,

Place : Mysore Nagaraja. M . R.

KPSC scam: Hiremath urges CID for report

Convener of the Jan Sangram Parishad and social activist S.R. Hiremath on Friday urged the CID, which is probing the Karnataka Public Service Commission scam, to submit its final report at the earliest.

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Hiremath said the CID was yet to complete its final report even four months after the submission of the interim report. Though he was full of praise for the comprehensive manner in which the interim report was prepared, he said action against the guilty could not be initiated based on that alone.

He urged the government to show its commitment to providing clean and corruption-free administration by taking action against KPSC former chairman Gonal Bhimappa and others allegedly involved in the scam. He demanded that charge sheets should be filed against them, besides arresting them. He also demanded that assets disproportionate to their known sources of income should be confiscated by the government. “The intention is to not only bring the guilty to book, but also to prevent recurrence of such incidents,” he said.

He urged the government to cleanse the KPSC by remodelling it on the lines of the Union Public Service Commission.

Expressing concern over the allegations that bribes to the tune of Rs. 70 lakh to Rs. 1.5 crore had been collected from the candidates by the KPSC members to give them posts of assistant commissioners, Mr. Hiremath said this would affect the fabric of the State administration.

CID submits report on KPSC recruitment scam

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which carried out a probe into the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scam, submitted its report to the Government on Wednesday.

The State Government had ordered a CID inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the selection of candidates for Gazetted Probationers Group A and B posts by the KPSC earlier this year. The Government order came after several candidates complained of corruption in the selection process.

CID sources said the inquiry report was submitted by the Director-General of Police, CID, Bipin Gopalakrishna, to the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary, Government of Karnataka. A copy of the report was also submitted to Director- General and Inspector-General of Police Lalrokhuma Pachau.

CID sources say that a draft chargesheet will be submitted to the government in a week's time to seek sanction for prosecution of the public servants mentioned in the report. After the government approval is received, a formal chargesheet will be submitted to the court.

The CID probe began after the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) lodged a complaint with the Vidhana Soudha police against a KPSC member, Mangala Sridhar, and her personal assistant for demanding bribe from an aspirant. The FIR also included the names of former KPSC Chairman Gonal Bhimappa, and two engineers of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).

The FIR was filed following a complaint by Mythri, an MD in Paediatrics and the topper in the ST category in the KAS exams, who had alleged that she was given low marks in the interview after she refused to heed the demand by a KPSC member for a bribe of Rs. 70 lakh for getting the post of Assistant Commissioner (Revenue).

U R Ananthamurthy May Write to Prez over Appointment of V-Cs

The controversy over the appointment of Davangere University vice-chancellor may reach the President of India. Dr U R Ananthamurthy, Chairman of the Search Committee constituted for the selection of vice-chancellor, is thinking of writing to President Pranab Mukherjee over the way the V-Cs are being appointed in the State.

Reacting to the controversy, Ananthamurthy told Express, “I will speak to the Chief Minister about the issue. I want the Chief Minister to take the up the issue, and if he doesn’t, I will take up the issue to President.”

“I know that we cannot change the appointment which is already made. But my wish is it should not happen in other appointments,” Murthy said.

He said he is disappointed with the way some members of the Search Committee behaved. “Some members wanted to send four names in the panel, which is against the rule. When I suggested a senior Kannada professor’s name, one of the members said, we need a person who is capable of bringing money from corporate sector as V-C and not the one who studied literature,” he said.

According to Murthy, some members had decided on who should be the V-C. “It is really an insult to me. I wanted the process to be transparent and merit-based. The Chancellor did not consult the government while issuing the order and the government’s consent was not taken,” he said.

“Once the panel report is submitted to the government, the responsibility and the role of the search committee ends. The final decision lies with the Governor as per rules. The Chairman of the committee did not raise any objection when the names were finalised. Why is he going to government now for one person. Is it not lobbying?”

“It’s between the government and Governor. The committee’s work is over,” he remarked.

CM Favours One Candidate, Guv Appoints Another

The Search Committee, headed by Jnanpith awardee and former V-C of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, U R Ananthamurthy decided to conduct interviews before finalising names for the V-C’s post. The committee met in the first week of November, shortlisted 16 candidates and asked them to come for an interview on December 17 with powerpoint presentations about their views.

After the interview, the committee finalised three names. The first name was Dr Janardhan, second was Dr L Gomathi Devi and the third was Dr B B Kalival. It submitted the list to the government.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah personally examined this list and considering the social justice and merit, he approved Gomathi Devi’s name and forwarded it to Governor and Chancellor. But on Saturday, without consulting the government or the CM, the Governor issued the appointment order by approving Kalival’s name.

‘I am Hurt’

Reacting to these developments, Gomathi Devi said, “I am really hurt with this. But I cannot question the decision of the Chancellor. I can say that I was capable and eligible (for the post).”

Governor seeks inquiry into Karnataka State Open University irregularities

MYSORE: Based on a request from department of higher education, the governor had directed the ?Governor seeks inquiry, Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) VC to inquire and submit a report on the alleged irregularities in the university on six counts. Issues which should be inquired into include marks card scandal and appointment of 21 regional directors causing illegal expenditure to the university to the tune of Rs 2 crore per annum.

Governor's secretary in his letter written on behalf of the former to KSOU VC had claimed that governor has directed him to seek comments if any in the matter in respect of six allegations.

First allegation is about marks card scandal in which the authorities under the supervision of deputy registrar have tampered the marks cards of degree students. "There are more than 300 incidents of tampering since 2006 to 2010," the letter noted adding that though a couple of officials have been sent home, deputy registrar HL Vishwanath under whose supervision the scandal took place has continued in his service and promoted to registrar's post.

Another major allegation is temporary appointment of 21 regional directors in violation of section 2(9) (3) of the general recruitment statute 2004 of Karnataka Universities Act and hiking their salaries resulting in serious financial burden on the varsity. Appointment and continuation of 21 regional directors is per se illegal, the letter said adding that the action has to be initiated against the concerned accused persons.

Letter also pointed out that KSOU illegally regularized the services of 28 temporary assistant professors in violation of the appointment norms, rules and regulations and these appointments are in contradiction of the UGC rules and directly contravened the Apex court judgment, the letter pointed out.

Letter revealed the bizarre violation of the rules by KSOU authorities in promotion of an electrician and a water supply operator as junior engineers.

Letter raised the issue of mass copying by students in the examinations and said action of the university to open centres outside Karnataka is in direct contravention of the Supreme court judgment in Yashpal case suggesting a detailed inquiry into it.

Governor said VC should send his comments on the issues raised in the letter with in 30 days and if he fails to respond he will be free to take appropriate decision on the irregularities on the basis of the records. These irregularities took between 2006 and 2013.

MYSORE: Former president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat Chandrashekar Patil has lashed out at writer and former Mysore University Vice-Chancellor D. Javare Gowda for defending his son J. Shashidhar Prasad in the university recruitment scandal episode.

Prof. Javare Gowda went on a fast in the city on Wednesday and defended Prof. Prasad, who is at the centre of a controversy surrounding the recruitment process in the university. Prof. Prasad was also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mysore.

A one-man commission probed the recruitment scandal and pronounced Shashidhar Prasad guilty of violating University Grants Commission recruitment norms. But Governor H.R. Bhardwaj, who is also the Chancellor of the university, stayed criminal proceedings against Prof. Prasad on the grounds that it was illegal.

This resulted in vociferous reactions by students and staff of the varsity.

Pained by the series of agitations, Prof. Javare Gowda said the recruitment of candidates was approved by the university Syndicate and the Registrar, and hence, all had to shoulder collective responsible for the process.

This stance has incensed teachers.

Prof. Patil, who addressed a press meet here on Thursday, criticised the move to undertake the fast. “Being a senior writer, Prof. Javare Gowda should have maintained a dignified silence instead of blindly defending his son. Mahatma Gandhi used fasting as an instrument to pursue a noble cause, but Prof. Javare Gowda used it to serve a selfish end,” he said.

Prof. Patil, along with film actor Lohitashwa, staged a demonstration at Gandhi Square in condemnation of the fast.

Mr. Lohitashwa said the Governor should direct the Government to invoke the provisions of law against Prof. Shashidhar Prasad and uphold the sanctity of the University of Mysore.

Prof. Patil also took a dim view of a few writers who supported Prof. Javare Gowda and said the latter's love for his son was understandable, but the support of the writers was incomprehensible. Prof. Patil said if those responsible for violating recruitment norms in the university were not punished, a Statewide agitation would be launched.

ABVP plans Manasagangothri bundh tomorrow

Mysore, August 14, DH News Service:

Akhila Bharathiya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) has called for Manasagangotri bundh on August 16 urging the State Government to file a criminal case against former vice-chancellor of University of Mysore, Prof Shashidhar Prasad for recruiting 162 persons by flouting rules and regulations.

In a press release here, K Vasanthkumar, divisional organising secretary of Mysore Division of ABVP said Prof Shashidhar Prasad, during his tenure, filled up 162 posts in teaching and non-teaching categories by not following any prescribed rules and regulations.

This is a biggest scandal and has been a black spot in the history of University of Mysore. The deserving candidates belonging to the SC/ST, backward classes and minorities, had been denied jobs. An committee headed by retired judge of Karnataka High Court, H Rangavittalachar, constituted to probe the allegations, has given a report that irregularities has been committed in the appointment of 161 persons. Besides, the committee had stated that roster has not been violated by the varsity.

Subsequently, the government directed the varsity authorities to book a criminal case against Prof Shashidhar Prasad.

He said later, the incumbent Governor Hans Raj Bhardwaj, has written a letter to the vice-chancellor, Prof V G Talawar not to book criminal case against Prof Shashidhar Prasad. The governor who talks of corruption in mining, is trying to shield Prof Shashidhar Prasad who has been indicted by the inquiry commission. This has given room suspicion about the style of functioning of the chancellor’s office.

He said their demands are; filing criminal case against Prof Shashidhar Prasad, cancellation of all 162 appointments done by him, starting recruitment process afresh, action against members of Academic council and Syndicate who were equally responsible for recruitment.

The ABVP has planned post card campaign on this issue. It has requested all the students to send post cards to President Pratibha Patil seeking her intervention and directing the government to proceed with the criminal case against Prof Shashidhar Prasad.

Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil has said that he will order a time-bound probe into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment process in government medical colleges in Hassan and Mysore two years ago.

It is alleged that posts in the these medical colleges were filled during the tenure of Ramachandre Gowda as Minister for Medical Education in the BJP government without approval from the Finance Department.

Dr. Patil told presspersons here on Tuesday that Mr. Ramachandre Gowda resigned following the controversy but the officials concerned were not booked. Though an inquiry by the then Additional Chief Secretary was ordered, it did not take off as the officials had retired by then, he added. “I was surprised by the way the issue was handled. I will apply my mind and order a time-bound probe. The guilty will be punished,” he said.

Similarly, another scam — the submission of fake certificates in the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) — would be handed over to the Lokayukta, to abide by the recommendation of the committee headed by Gururajan, he said.

It is alleged that four senior staff members of MIMS produced fake experience certificates to get jobs in violation of regulations.

On the Rajiv Gandhi Super-Speciality Hospital Raichur, popularly known as OPEC hospital, which was closed down a year ago, he said that the government was particular about retaining the hospital in the government sector.

“If there is a technical problem, then will we think of having a private partnership,” he said.

Efforts are on to revive the hospital. A report had been sought from the hospital director on the condition of building and medical equipment. “Based on the report, the building would be refurbished. A sum of Rs. 1.20 crore has been set aside for this,” he said.

A walk-in interview would be held to fill vacant posts, he added.

With the contract between Apollo Hospitals and the government expiring, OPEC hospital closed down on June 1, 2012.

Eight persons accused in Dalit atrocity case in jail

The Nangli police in Kolar district on Wednesday arrested all the eight persons accused in a recent case of atrocities on Dalits at Kagganahalli in Mulbagal taluk. All of them were produced before court which remanded them in judicial custody till February 6, Mulbagal Deputy Superintendent of Police T. Siddaiah told The Hindu . The arrested were lodged in the sub-jail here. The situation in the village is peaceful now, Mr. Siddaiah added.

The Nangli police registered a case following a caste abuse complaint lodged by Nagabhushan, one of the members of four families which were facing boycott, on January 21.

Shankara Reddy, Keshavappa, Suresh, Krishna Reddy, Anjaneya Reddy, Srinivas, Narayanaswamy and Munivenkata Reddy are the arrested. A police team arrested the accused when they were on their way to get bail from court.

Boycott

Four Dalit families of Kagganahalli accused that upper caste people imposed a social boycott on them, prompting Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya to visit the village a couple of days ago. Mr. Anjaneya then warned that social evils such as boycott of Dalits cannot be tolerated and that action would be taken against the culprits.

PRACTICE OF UNTOUCHABILITY BY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN INDIA- VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS OF DALITS

In india , rich people belonging to forward castes form educational trusts , proclaiming that they want to serve the society by providing education to all irrespective of caste or creed. By this declaration they get Civic Amenity sites from government authorities at concessional rates. Further they get tax , dutyexemptions on materials , machines they import for the educational institution. However , while admitting students they are purely commercial minded , the highest bidder gets the seats.

IF AT ALL THE SOLE AIM OF THESE INSTITUTIONS IS COMMERCIAL – LET THEM BE REGISTERED AS COMMERCIAL BODIES , ASK THEM TO GET SITES AT COMMERCIAL MARKET RATES , ASK THEM TO PAY TAXES ONMATERIALS , MACHINES & THEIR YEARLY INCOME. ENFORCE MINIMUM WAGES ACT , GRATUITIES ACT , P.F & ESI ACT TO THESE INSTITUTIONS WHO ARE PAYING A PITTANCE TO THEIR STAFF.

Some institutions like industrial training institutes ( I.T.I) , polytechnics , engineering colleges & medicalcolleges run by trusts floated by forward castes lack basic infrastructure , to teach students properly , they only appoint staff belonging to thier castes. Dalits , minorities , weaker section people are not at all selected. They don't publicly advertise for vacancies. They fill all posts with thier own caste people & finally even get government grant in aid. How ? These institutions are getting affiliations , yearly approvals form the government , how ? actually they should have been shut. These trusts want government backing for tax exemptions , lands at concessional rates ,monetary benefits , etc , however the same trusts are not willing to implement the social welfare objectives of the government , by providing seats to weaker sections , by providing appointments to dalits few posts in all category of positions ( not just group D - dalits are also brilliant & capable of performing all jobs, they have proved it ).

Hereby , we urge honourable prime minister of india , government of india & honourable chief minister of karnataka , government of karnataka to :

1. before giving lands at concessional rate , tax exemptions , to any educational trusts the government must ensure that the trust must adhere to the social welfare norms of the government from day one.2. Before giving affiliations to educational institutions the govt must ensure , are the institutions are providing sufficient infrastructure to students ?3. Before giving grant in aid to any institution , the government must ensure have the management provided jobs to dalits , minorities , etc as per norms from the day one . if not grant in aid should berejected. Here there is no meaning in giving reservation of jobs in future appointments in those institutions , as all the posts are presently filled with forward castes , there is no expansion projects.So , dalits have to wait for another 30-40 years to get the vacancies in those institutions after the retirement of forward caste employees , which is not at all practical or realistic .4. In karnataka state , numerous Industrial Training Institutes ( ITI) have mushroomed , some don't even have basic infrastructure. Still they are running the show , how ? these ITIs run by forward caste people have appointed only their caste people to all posts , not even a single dalit is there. Still they have got government grant in aid , how ? we urge honourable chief minister of karnataka , to look into this & in future to provide grant in aid in aid to only those I.T.Is which have proper infrastructure & dalits , weaker section employees on their pay-rolls.5. To order all educational institutions to make public announcement of vacancies in their institutions even though not covered under grant in aid , as they have already taken sufficient monetarybenefits from the government.6. To order all educational institutions , to admit students as per government rates of fees. Some institutions are fleecing higher fees from the students , but are giving receipts for lesser amount only.7. If any educational institutions don't agree with the government norms , those institutions must be asked to be registered as commercial bodies , no tax exemptions , lands at concessional rates ,allotment of CA sites should be given to them by the government.

By these measures alone poor & weaker section people will get justice . you are aware of merited but poor students committing suicides year after year , CET fiasco - due to their financial inability to join medical or engineering colleges. Numerous similar cases are there with regard to admission to ITIs .polytechnics. The greed & casteism of these educational institutions is reigning high. In the positive hope that you will be kind enough to put an end to this menace.

ELIMINATE MANUAL SCAVENGING BUT NOT SCAVENGERS

- an appeal to honourable supreme court of India

In India, since independence certain affirmative actions by the government like job reservations , reservations in educational institutions , loan facilities , etc are extended to the backward class , oppressed people. However , the persons who have economically, socially become stronger on the basis of these government affirmative actions are not letting their own brethren – scavenging community to utilize the same. The politicians are just making noises about sub caste reservation for scheduled castes & tribes , but doing nothing. As a result , today we find some sub-castes & tribes of SC / ST better off than their previous generation, some other sub-castes & tribes of SC / ST are reeling under utter poverty , social ostracism , etc.

A human being can be in a civilized form , healthy - if we have scavengers to clean our toilets , drainages , if we have barbers to cut our hairs. The very same people who keep us healthy & civilized are not treated in a civilized manner by the society , why ? most of the town municiapalities , city corporations are employing scavengers on daily wages without any statuotary benefits & are paid less than the statuotary minimum wages. every towns & cities in India are bursting with population growth , however the number of scavengers has not been increased in proportion to the growth of population , In most of the cases the existing scavengers are overburdened with the work load. , Most of them are suffering from occupational health hazards , are dying at young ages leaving their families in the lurch.

Hereby, we appeal to honourable supreme court of India to treat this as a PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION & to order government of India , all state governments , statuotary bodies

1. to regularize the jobs of all scavengers , to provide all statuotary benefits like ESI,PF, etc.

2. to take all necessary steps to eradicate manual scavenging – carrying human excreta on heads.

3. to take all necessary steps to protect their health & occupational safety.

Bottomline : all the citizens , the society must learn to respect their brethren who keeps them healthy , tidy & civilized. JAI HIND.VANDE MATARAM.

Your's sincerely,

Nagaraj.M.R.

KSOU ready to face any probe: Vice-Chancellor

Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) Vice-Chancellor K.S. Rangappa has said the university is functioning well within the powers assigned to it under the KSOU Act.

Rubbishing allegations made by Medical Education Minister S.A. Ramdas that the KSOU had signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with dubious institutions to impart higher education, Prof. Rangappa said here on Tuesday that all transactions of the university were done in a transparent manner.

“The KSOU is prepared to face inquiry by the CID or even the CBI,” he said at a press conference here.

(The State government on May 11 ordered a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) against the KSOU in the backdrop of allegations of conducting technical and paramedical courses illegally.)

Mr. Ramdas has alleged that the KSOU did not obtain the permission of the Medical Council of India (MCI) to start paramedical courses in association with a certain institution here.

Prof. Rangappa said the collaborative institution had to obtain permission from the MCI, and not the KSOU. He said he was unaware as to why he was being “targeted” by Mr. Ramdas.

“Arbitrary and misleading” statements from persons holding responsible positions in the government could only tarnish the image of the KSOU and jeopardise the academic future of the over 3 lakh students enrolled with the university, he said.

The KSOU had entered into collaboration with over 100 institutions to impart distance education after the Governor, the Chancellor of the university, approved the statues.

The MoUs were signed with the institutions later. The KSOU was empowered to enter into contracts as well as recognise any institution of higher learning or studies for such purposes, the Vice-Chancellor said.

Prof. Rangappa said an expert committee would inspect the institutes to ascertain their credibility in terms of imparting higher education. Based on the committee report, the Academic Council of the KSOU would accord recognition for such institutions for collaboration, he said. The Governor had sought all details from the KSOU in the matter and he would submit them soon, Prof. Rangappa said.

The charge that more than 1 lakh paramedical students were “cheated” by the KSOU since the collaborative institutions did not exist was also not true as there were not more than 40 students enrolled in such courses, he said.

However, the Distance Education Council (DEC) had asked the KSOU to stop the B.Tech. course, but the university had moved the court, Prof. Rangappa said.

If the collaborative institutions failed to function, complaints could be registered with the KSOU. Contracts with such institutions could be terminated in the interest of the students, he added.

Registrar of the university B.S. Vishwanath and deans T.D. Deve Gowda and S.N. Vikaram Raj Urs were among those present.

Be it charges of plagiarising his research thesis or pulling strings for his son’s college admission, rangappa has a lot going against him.

KS Rangappa, who was appointed as the vice-chancellor of University of Mysore on Friday, is facing the following charges:

PlagiarismRangappa has been accused of plagiarising a Osmania University research paper, published in an Indian journal, in October 2009 and getting the same published in an international science journal within a year.

Osmania University’s professors from the chemistry department - G Vijayalakshmi, M Adinarayana and P Jayaprakash Rao - had prepared a research paper ‘Kinetics of oxidation of adenosine by tert-butoxyl radicals: Protection and repair by chlorogenic acid’ in 2008. The paper was sent to Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics on July 16, 2008, and revised on August 10, 2009. It was published in its edition of October 2006 (Volume 46).

Rangappa allegedly published the same paper in an international journal, Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry (Europe), in its April 2010 edition, with his name along with those of MN Kumara and DG Bhadregowda in addition to the names of the original authors. Besides that, the address for correspondence was that of Rangappa’s.

DNA had published a detailed report regarding the issue in its March 10, 2011 edition. Following the report, a PIL was filed at Mysore district court. The case is still pending.

Favouring his sonRangappa’s role in favouring his son in order to get him admitted to Yuvaraja’s college was proved by a syndicate sub-committee constituted by the university syndicate. In 2006 Rangappa favoured his son Shobith to get a seat at Yuvaraja’s college by decreasing the eligibility to 45% when the actual eligibility was 55%. Surprisingly, Rangappa was one of the members in the committee constituted to take decision on decreasing the eligibility.

Shobith, who had not cleared his second PU exams, cleared them by taking the supplementary exam. After the announcement of supplementary exam results, the eligibility was brought down to 45%; some days later, the admission eligibility was raised again to 55%. By this time, Shobith had secured admission.

Dissent note by ThimmappaDissent note on the inclusion of professor KS Rangappa’s name in the panel for the post of vice-chancellor of Mysore University made by the search committee in its meeting held on January 4, 2013, reads:

1. A writ petition Nos. 11444/2012(GM-PIL) filed by Sri. KS Shivaram with serious allegations against professor Rangappa is pending before the high court of Karnataka and hence until the case is disposed off in favour of Professor Rangappa, it is prudent on our part not to consider him for the post of V-C at this stage.

2. Professor Rangappa is already functioning as vice-chancellor of KSOU and as there is no dearth of well-qualified candidates for the post of vice-chancellor in the large number of universities under general education, there is hardly any justification to consider professor Rangappa again for a second term. Incidentally, the KSU Act, 2000, ordains only one term for vice-chancellor.

Hence—Thimmappa MS, member, search committee, has stated—I am against including Prof Rangappa’s name in the panel.

Govt orders criminal cases against ex-VC of Mysore varsity

Bangalore, June 11, DH News Service:

The State government has ordered filing of criminal cases against former Mysore University Vice-Chancellor J Shashidhar Prasad for violating government and university rules while recruiting teaching and non-teaching staff.

This is the first time that the state government has given the go ahead for filing of criminal cases against a former vice-chancellor. The 162 appointments made during Prasad’s tenure are now in a limbo. The State government has issued directions to University of Mysore to file criminal charges against the former V-C as per Section 8 (4) of the Karnataka Universities Act, 2000.

In a separate order, the Government has sought details on the appointments made during Prasad’s tenure and their present status. Following complaints of violation of norms during the university recruitment process, a one-man commission headed by retired high court judge H Rangavittalachar was appointed to inquire into the allegations. The report submitted on September 30 last has been accepted by the government and on Wednesday gave the go ahead for filing criminal charges.

The Rangavittalachar commission had found that Prasad violated the University Grants Commission rules and the State government’s reservation policy while awarding marks during selection of candidates to the posts of professors, readers and lecturers during 2006-07. style='orphans: auto;widows: 1;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing: 0px' v:shapes="_x0000_i1025">

In addition to the department-wise break-up of appointments made, the State government on Wednesday also sought from the university residential addresses of the appointee. According to highly-placed sources, notices would be served on these appointees shortly. Further action would be taken based on their responses.

Minister defends Minister for Higher Education Arvind Limbavali said that the move was taken only after careful consideration of the issue. “We had an inquiry ordered to look into the matter. Only after considering this the Government has filed the criminal charges against the ex-Vice Chancellor,” he said.

Vice-Chancellor of VTU failed in 7 semesters

The head of Karnataka’s premier technical education umbrella institution, Visvesvaraya Technical University (VTU), failed in seven of the ten semesters of his undergraduate degree course in mechanical engineering.

He finally managed to pass the course, but only after many attempts, adding up to a total of 25 marks sheets. He now heads a university which has 200 engineering colleges functioning under it. And the HighCourt is looking at his claims that he passed in first class. The stack of marks statements of his shows that he passed only 3 semesters of the 10 without failing in any subject, making repeated attempts to pass some of the papers in the rest of the semesters. He could pass two subjects of the seventh semester only after he passed the 9th and 10th semesters.

While Maheshappa completed semesters nine and ten in 1982, he reappeared for two subjects of the seventh semester – machine design I and estimating, specification and engineering economics – in March 1983. In the ninth semester too he failed in two subjects – metrology and automatic control engineering – in Feb/March, 1982 and he cleared these papers along with the 10th semester. ' border=0 v:shapes="_x0000_i1026">

Student at the Government BDT College of Engineering, Davangere affiliated to University of Mysore, Maheshappa obtained a post-graduate degree and doctorate from Bangalore University, where it was not mandatory to submit a degree certificate while seeking entry to a PG course or doctoral programme.

It is not mandatory for a person to have a first class degree to become a VC, but Maheshappa has been accused of making false claims before the search panel that selected him to head the VTU for three years from 2010. While he has claimed that he has a first class degree in BE, those who have filed a public interest litigation in the High Court have alleged that he has just a second class degree, and contrary to his claim did not guide any PhD student.

The University of Mysore, during 1980s, used award an engineering degree based on the scoring of the last two semesters. Maheshappa’s 10th semester marks card (August/September 1982) mentions that he obtained second class. He failed in two subjects and his total scoring was 393 out of 775.

He passed the subjects later. In the final semester, he secured 830 out of 1400. While the university awarded him second class going by the marks he had scored in the first attempt, he has claimed that after the second attempt he made in the 9th semester, the percentage crossed 60 per cent.

Copies of the marks cards, obtained under the RTI, show that the University seems to have committed an error in the column indicating ‘Total Marks’.

While the ‘Total Marks’ for the 9th semester was 775 in the statement of marks of Feb/March 1982, the same is shown as 770 in the final semester marks sheet, where both marks scored in 9th and 10th are mentioned.

The total scoring of two semesters stands at 830 out of 1400 (59.24 %). But it should be 830 out of 1425 (58.24%).

Maheshappa, in the CV submitted to the search committee, had stated that he had ‘guided’ four PhD students. But a document obtained under the RTI from VTU on January 5, 2012 has stated that no student has been awarded PhD under his guidance but he is only ‘guiding’ four students.

K Balaveera Reddy, two-time vice chancellor of VTU, told Deccan Herald: “Any university will go by the marks obtained by a student in the first attempt. The marks obtained by making subsequent attempts to clear a paper are not taken into consideration while declaring class or rank. In case of VTU, the last four semesters aggregate is taken into consideration for declaring class.”

KU scandal: Probe reveals murky links

Every year, the accused involved in the fake marks cards and answer scripts scam in Kuvempu University, “earned” lakhs of rupees through their illegal deeds. With the investigation taking shape, police have found answers to various questions like where did this money go, how was it utilised and more.

However, the police are perplexed as to why the University has not maintained the details of its answer sheets, blank marks cards and holograms, which were stolen by the accused. Interestingly, the accused have maintained detailed records in dairies and note books on the money and answer scripts received.

During the second raid, police recovered more documents on financial transactions and other details like the number of answer scripts received from a particular agent, registration numbers and the amount received from the agents. The documents collected by the police also reveal how the money was spent in the last two years. Main accused Devaraj invested more than `8 lakh in 10 chit-funds ranging from `1.5 lakh to `10,000 every month, which was mentioned in the dairy of his wife. They have also purchased gold jewellery and pasted the receipts on each page of the dairy.

Devaraj is a group-D contract employee. Now the police are discussing with legal experts and senior police officers on how to recover that amount, police sources said.

A senior police officer told Express that the recovered blank answer scripts, marks cards and hologram are not fake. But the University is behaving as if it does not know anything about this. It is not bothered about how many blank answer scripts, marks cards and holograms had been stolen from the University. During examinations, each examination centre would be given the answer papers and the in-charge of the examination centres should return the remaining answer scripts, which should match the total number of copies, to the University after the examination.

Investigation should also be conducted on whether the accused have stolen the answer scripts while transporting them back to the University or had stolen them from the University itself. If the examination centre in-charge had given the correct details of thecopies, then the University store keeper will have to face the music. Otherwise, the examination centre in-charge would also be held responsible for the scam, the officer said.

Degree certificate tampering scandal hits BU

Even while the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) is battling allegations of tampering of marks cards, Bangalore University (BU) has a similar problem in its own backyard. The varsity recently discovered that the degree certificate of a former student was fraudulently given away to another person during BU’s 41{+s}{+t}mini convocation .

Explaining the case, BU Registrar (Evaluation) R.K. Somashekhar said B. Sujatha, who graduated in 1998, took her marks card from the university but did not apply for her B.Ed degree certificate. When she finally did apply for a provisional degree certificate last year, BU authorities unearthed the scam where her degree certificate (bearing her register number) had been given away to another person named Joshwa Samuel. While the university has now withdrawn the degree given to Mr. Samuel and reconfirmed that the degree belonged to Ms. Sujatha, the whereabouts of Mr. Samuel is still not known.

The 30 Billion Dollar Medical Seats Scam

Fury gripped the grass-roots medical fraternity today as they vented their anger on Twitter's hashtag#SaveNeetPGin relation to the “Cash for Medical Seats” scandal. On the 3rd April 2013, the CNN-IBN admirable sting operation caught the following on camera in relation to “medical seats for sale”:-

Following the sting operation, CNN-IBN submitted the film to the Medical Council of India [MCI]. Sadly, all authorities have been lethargic. The MCI's position on this issue is currently unknown. There has been no robust statement of reassurance to the media or the public. This is entirely unacceptable. Despite this clear and present danger to the public, the MCI refused to have a plan or be pro-active in this issue. Are they out of their depth?

Indeed, the true extent of threat to public safety not yet known, considered or addressed. This is broadly an unacceptable and shocking situation. The government and the MCI appears relatively unconcerned about the potential threat to patient safety. Moreover, it is unknown how many doctors have “bought their way” through medical school. The true extent of medical incompetence is also unknown. Moreover, this may have international implications as the number of doctors from this group may also be working abroad.

The current Health Minister appears relatively unconcerned about the potential for high mortality rate and threat to patient safety this may have led to or may indeed lead to. Moreover, this calls into question the number of competent students unlawfully rejected from medical school/post graduate education in favour of the elite who can pay their way through anything. The MCI and the current government' supine attitude to this serious problem raises the question as to whether they are implicated or complicit in these unlawful activities.

Buying a place in medical school is becoming a easy gateway to status, power and financial security. Long gone are ideas of patient safety and integrity. Clearly, the good doctors who have tirelessly worked hard against these serious obstacles will object to this unlawful behaviour that places the Indian medical fraternity under public scrutiny. How can the public now trust India's medical establishment with their lives? These activities will be causing an erosion in public confidence.

It is interesting that in April 2010, the President of the Medical Council of India [MCI] was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation for taking a Rs 2 crore bribe to recognise a medical college in Punjab. The CNN-IBN investigation had also demonstrated how a cartel led by this man flouted the normal procedures of the MCI with the intention of making money. Moreover, students lacking a background in science were given places on MBBS courses and colleges with no proper infrastructure were granted licenses. At that point, the government had apparently dissolved the MCI and replaced it with a board of governors, but the situation has not changed at all.

To demand some kind of accountability, CNN-IBN Live's Mr Rajdeep Sardesai swung into action from his usual cricket viewing and dog walking to take another bite at this story. He questioned former MoS Health Minister Dinesh Trivedi on this matter.

Mr Trivedi admitted that every year more than $30 billion was involved in “buying” medical seats. During the interview he claimed that 100 or so medical colleges were being controlled by politicians and were involved in selling their PG medical seats. “The “big money goes to 100 colleges” Mr Trivedi said.

Trivedi blamed the conduct of the politicians saying

“It is the job of the government to create capacity whether in terms of hospitals or in terms of medical colleges, You just have many medical colleges, just like you've done for engineering colleges. Now there are no capitation fees. This is the gap that is created purposely kept”.

Former member of the Dental Council of India, Dr Usha Mohandas added

“It is a kind of well-established cartel. It is a beautiful network. The world can learn a lot from how strong this networking has been established for a wrong purpose. I would want the ministry to take absolute responsibility because the process of started and ending this is with the ministry, the other people in between are just via media. The ministry cannot wash its hands off and say that these are autonomous. If you ask the regulatory, they say we don't know anything you know, the minister asks us to do the same. This passing of the buck has to end.

All this is not new of of course. Over the last three years, CNN-IBN has been reporting on the corruption in the top most echelons of the Indian medical establishment with no action taken by the government.

The TV channel wrote

“CNN-IBN has also been showing how medical education regulators have been approving sub-standard medical and dental colleges and allowing them to flourish. The apathy, however, is leading to production of dummy doctors in the country”

Other incidences include as follows - In 2009, the Times of India reported that MBBS seats were being sold for Rs12 lakhs-40 lakhs by two private colleges in Chennai. At the time, the price of the seats were Rs 2 crore in radiology while Rs 1.5 crore for cardiology, gynaecology and orthopaedics. The hike in price was due to the reduced number of places available that year for the 32,000 graduates from medical school.

Times of India wrote

“Another senior expert, who has held prestigious posts at the national level, says he has urged the UGC to hold centralized examinations like JEE for admissions to both MBBS and PG courses. ``It's a national shame to commercialize education. Besides, death of merit affects the quality of medical education. When money is paid, these colleges ensure that the exit is definite. The students pass, qualified or not,''

By 2011, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested a doctor from Karnataka in the PGIMER seat for sale scam. This was the sixth arrest at the time. The mastermind's main area of operation were Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryna - where he along with his partners would text individuals for various examinations offering a seat for a certain price. The price of the seats ranged from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 80 lakh. Allegedly, seats were offered for AIIMS New Delhi as well.

In October 2011, Bangalore Police announced “A racket in sale of medical and dental seats for sums ranging from Rs 75 lakh to Rs 90 lakh has been busted in Karnataka with the arrest of 11 persons belonging to two gangs”. There were more complaints of medical seat fraud in Bhopal where a woman was arrested for allegedly taking money in exchange for medical seats.

By 2012, the CBI had been investigating more complicated allegations of medical school seat scam. This particular scam was elaborate involving a Tollywood producer.

The Indian Express wrote

“We are looking into the role of doctors in collusion with the accused and medical seat aspirants,’’ the sources said. Police suspect that the main accused collected huge amounts of money from the medical seat aspirants. “With the tainted money the producer is planning to make more movies in the near future,’’ a source said.

Of course, these are the few stories that were reported. There must be thousands of incidents that have not made it to the public eye. It is clear that corruption is widespread in India's medical training system. For now, we know that this is allegedly a $30 billion dollar scam, with the involvement of politicians who yet remain unnamed. While the current Health Minister passes the buck onto the MCI, it is interesting to note that he cleverly diverts the public gaze from the politicians who may well be ultimately responsible for this scandal. The MCI have no powers to hold politicians to account.

Not only have they placed the public at risk but the government faces allegations of illegal discrimination on a mass scale.

We do not know how long this unlawful behaviour has been ongoing, nor do we know the extent of incompetent unqualified people who have been allowed into medical school and have been allowed to practise in India or abroad.

We do not know how many patients have died as a result, nor do we know the true scale of this scam. If individuals can “pay” their way into medical school, to what extent does this dishonesty extend? Is this dishonesty at dangerous levels now given the endless lists of health related scams in India. The current health minister had limply stated that there would be an audit on health related scams “We have to have audits in future to check health-related scams, including NRHM scam”. So that would be the corrupt assessing the corrupt leading to a erroneous result then.

Lastly, how many innocent people are suffering because of the utterly shameful behaviour of the current government of India? The “Cash For Medical Seats” Scandal joins the endless list of Indian Scandalsthat the government has swept under the carpet by building a cosmetic façade of innocence.

The question is, how many people will die as a result?

NB Congratulations to the CNN-IBN team and their boss Rajdeep Sardesai for their superb sting operation and determination in exposing this wide ranging scandal.

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, D V Sadananda Gowda on Thursday said that a massive marks card scandal was continuing in the Rajiv GandhiUniversity of Health Sciences (RGUHS).

Citing instances of two students, one of whom is from the Rajarajeshwari Medical College, Bangalore, Gowda said the university has been passing students, though they had failed in some subjects. Such a thing is happening at all the colleges affiliated to RGUHS, he added.

Gowda said that Harshitha of Rajarajeswari Medical College had failed in anatomy and physiologypapers in June 2012 examinations. Subsequently, she went for a re-totalling of the marks of the two subjects, but was again declared failed.

“However, when the marks cards were issued by the university in December 2012, Harshitha had passed in the two papers,” he said.

Appeal

The former chief minister appealed to the medical education minister to order a Lokayukta probe into the marks card scandal, which he said, is not limited to one or two students but involved several hundreds.

JD(S) leader M C Nanaiah said the government must study whether the administrative authorities of the university will come under the ambit of the Lokayukta Act before ordering any inquiry. Gowda also claimed that a Rs 266-crore scam had taken place in Karnatak University, Dharwad.

Judges in HC scams… As for guts, I am known to Mayawati and Mulayam: CJ

Justice Sahai told a packed courtroom that “there are several scams” in the High Court.

The judges, to whom notices have been sent, include eight sitting Gujarat High Court judges, Chief Justices of Bombay and Orissa High Courts and a sitting judge of Supreme Court.

THE Gujarat High Court witnessed dramatic scenes Tuesday during the hearing of a PIL involving the allotment of government plots to 27 of its sitting and retired judges. Acting Chief Justice V M Sahai, who had a heated exchange with lawyers, said there were “several scams” in the court involving other judges. Late in the evening, Justice Sahai constituted a larger bench of three judges to hear the plea and listed its first hearing on Wednesday morning, the day he is scheduled to retire. At one stage of the hearing Tuesday, Justice Sahai said that before taking up the PIL he had sought the opinion of all judges of the court. “They didn’t talk to me. They believed that I had no guts. As far as guts are concerned, I am known to Mayawati and Mulayam (Singh Yadav),” Justice Sahai said. He did not elaborate. Earlier, Justice Sahai told a packed courtroom that “there are several scams” in the High Court.

As lawyers representing the judges listened, Justice Sahai said: “There is a computer scam in which the contract was given to the nephew of a sitting judge… ekdum kharab 1,101 laptop diya gaya, karodon rupaye swindled (1,101 bad laptops were given, crores swindled)… the real nephew of a sitting judge was given the contract and he supplied defective laptops worth Rs 2.79 crore. This was overruled by Justice Bhattacharya (former chief justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya).” His remarks came after Advocate General Kamal Trivedi, while opposing the move to constitute a larger bench, referred to an alleged scam in which dozens of people were directly recruited in the high court in the Class-III and Class IV categories. “Don’t argue about Class-III and IV… CJ ke paas saari jaankari rehti hai. Mein Pandora’s Box open karna nahin chahta (The CJ has all the information. I don’t want to open a Pandora’s Box),” Justice Sahai said. Amid strong opposition from the lawyers representing the judges, Justice Sahai referred the petition to the larger bench comprising Justice Mohinder Pal, Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice Paresh Upadhyay. Justice Pal was also part of Tuesday’s bench after Justice R P Dholaria recused himself on Monday. The lawyers had sought time to file their replies, saying that many of the judges received the notices late on Monday night or on Tuesday morning. Many did not receive the notices at all, they added. The suo motu PIL is based on letters written by retired justices B J Sethna and K R Vyas last month, alleging that there were irregularities in the allotment of the plots. Justice Sethna is chairman of the panel probing the polarisation of population on the basis of religion while Justice Vyas is chairman of the grievance redressal authority for those affected by the Sardar Sarovar Project. Their applications for plots were rejected by the Ahmedabad District Collector in 2013. Justice Sahai also framed ten questions for the larger bench, mainly dealing with contentions raised in the PIL, including whether “vacant plots in the society can be allotted for former judges of GHC”.

After Vyapam, another admission scam rocks MP, high court judges under scanner

Bhopal: A day after the Supreme Courtordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe all cases related to the Vyapam scam and over 40 deaths linked to it, more details about the involvement of Madhya Pradesh High Court judges and top ranking government officials into another admission scam here have now come to the fore.

According to media reports, a list of top High Court judges with alleged links to the murkier Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) recruitment scam, also called the Vyapam scam, has been handed over in a sealed envelope to the Chief Justice of India.

Whistleblowers have told the apex court that the 'kith and kin' of judges, IAS and IPS officers are among those who bought seats in private institutions, medical and dental colleges.

Whistleblower Anand Rai told a news channel that he and some others had submitted the names of judges linked to the admissions scam in private colleges to Chief Justice HL Duttu in a sealed envelope.

On the basis of these documents, the whistleblowers have reportedly contended before the apex court that since the "kith and kin" of judges are beneficiaries, the judiciary in Madhya Pradesh cannot be objective in the hearing of the admission scam

The whistleblowers also informed the Supreme court about the threats to their lives in their resolve to expose the 'big fish' in the Vyapam scam, including Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Whistleblowers also alleged that the scam is not just confined to government institutions, paid seats were given out in private medical and dental colleges to relatives of ministers, judges and bureaucrats.

There have been over 40 deaths in the scandal, in which thousands of people are alleged to have paid bribes in return for government jobs or for college admissions.

The Supreme Court yesterday said that the CBI would investigate the scandal as well as the deaths linked to it.

Nearly 2,000 people have been arrested since the scandal erupted in 2012, including a former state minister, several top bureaucrats and hundreds of students.

The top court also yesterday issued notice to the MP Governor Ram Naresh Yadav while responding to a petition seeking his removal. He and his son were accused last year of accepting bribes in a First Information Report or FIR by the Special Task Force of the state police that is investigating the Vyapam scam.

The apex court's order transferring all Vyapam-related cases to the CBI came after the state government gave its consent to shifting investigation from the Special Investiation Team (SIT) and the Special Task Force (STF).

A bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu said all cases will stand transferred to the CBI from Monday and the agency will file its report before it on July 24.

Before handing over the probe to the CBI, the apex court took on record the submission of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who on behalf of the MP government, said the state has no objection to transferring the investigation in Vyapam and deaths of people allegedly related to it for a free and fair probe.

"The Attorney General (AG) on instruction states that MP govt has no objection whatsoever for transferring the investigation of criminal cases relating to Vyapam scam to the CBI and the cases related to deaths of those allegedly connected with the scam for free and fair probe.”

"We appreciate the stand of the AG. In view of the above we transfer investigation of all criminal cases relating to Vyapam scam and death of people allegedly related to it, to CBI," the bench, also comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy, said.

The apex court was hearing a batch of petitions including one filed by senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh seeking CBI probe into all cases arising out of the Vyapam scam. As the Supreme Court ordered an inquiry by the central agency, reports came from Bhopal of a special court being informed about the death of yet another witness in the scam.

A beleagured Chouhan, whose credibility has been severely eroded following the scam, hailed the apex court's order, saying,"I welcome it wholeheartedly. There was a burden on my heart."

Speaking to journalists in Bhopal, Chouhan said he would request the CBI to begin investigation at the earliest "so the truth comes before the country, the people, and justice is done".

He rejected Congress' demand for his resignation. "They ask for it (his resignation) 5-6 times a day. To discredit Shivraj Chouhan, they have discredited the whole state. Probity in public life is my capital," he said.

Referring to the probe conducted by the STF and SIT so far, Chouhan said,"It was my test by fire. Had I not wanted, investigation would not have happened. I wanted to set the system right."

Not only Chouhan, political parties of all hues welcomed the decision.

Congress and AAP, while hailing the decision, also demanded that Chouhan step down to facilitate a fair probe.

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, one of the petitioners in the case, welcomed the apex court's order.

The BJP, however, patted Chouhan on the back for the apex court order.

Activist Lawyer Prashant Bhushan has written a letter to Allahbad High Court Chief Justice Dr. Justice Dhananjaya Yashwant Chandrachud with a copy marked to Chief Justice of India Justice HL. Dattu seeking immediate intervention in Ghaziabad PF Scam Case in which the CBI had charge sheeted some judges, court staffs and around 10 service providers

To,

The Chief Justice

High Court of Allahabad

Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh

Dear Sir,

Sub: Disturbing developments in Ghaziabad PF Scam

I am writing to you regarding the recent disturbing developments in the Ghaziabad PF scam that involves the judges & former judges of the District Courts of Ghaziabad and of the Allahabad High Court. The Supreme Court had in September 2008 transferred the investigation to the CBI. The CBI in July 2010 had charge sheeted several judges, court staff and around 10 service providers.

The CBI then moved a petition before Supreme Court to transfer the case out of Uttar Pradesh stating that a chargesheet has been filed against 6 former District Judges of Ghaziabad, 3 of whom were later elevated as Judges of Allahabad High Court and 48 Class III & IV employees of District Court, Ghaziabad. All these persons and their close relatives have been working in District Court Ghaziabad for many years. 13 Judicial officers and more than 25 employees of District Court have been cited as prosecution witness. However, Supreme Court in November 2010 rejected the transfer petition reposing faith in the courts of Uttar Pradesh, including the High Court of Allahabad.

CBI in its chargesheet had indicted Mr. Ashutosh Asthana, the central nazir of Ghaziabad district court, for making unauthorised withdrawals from the PF account of the court staff. The CBI had not chargesheeted most of the goods and service providers who had been paid by Mr. Asthana for the goods & services supplied by them to the judges. Mr. Ashutosh Asthana, the main accused who provided critical evidence, was found dead in Ghaziabad jail in mysterious circumstances in October 2009.

CBI had not chargesheeted most of the service providers and they had been given a clean chit. And, the 10 service providers chargesheeted by the CBI had provided most credible evidence about the scam because these persons who had provided services like providing luxury cabs, mobiles, cutlery, dresses, photography to the judges. The CBI made all such persons as their ‘approver’ and the Special Judge, CBI Court granted pardon to them while making them approver under Section 306 CrPC.

In fact, the service provider had raised their service bills and as per the CBI chargesheet the amount was credited by Late Ashutosh Asthana and the service providers had no knowledge that judiciary was involved in a scam of its own making.

While granting the bail to such service providers, the High Court of Allahabad had made a condition that they must first deposit with the court the amount that they had received in their account from the GPF fund. All the service providers (many of whom were later found completely innocent by the CBI) deposited the amount before the CBI Court and the bail was granted. After they were subsequently discharged or pardoned, the service providers moved the court for refund of the amount deposited by them, but their applications were inexplicably rejected saying the trial of the case is still pending.

An audit committee was constituted by High Court of Allahabad and it directed that all account holders in whose account the cheques were credited to return the amount with interest for 6 years. This is despite the fact that all the service providers are “holders in due course” of the amount held by them and as per provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act and judgments of the Supreme Court, they are entitled to hold the said amount.

The audit committee directed all the service providers to deposit the amount though they had objected that they had already paid the amount while securing bail and hence the second time recovery is impermissible. This recovery is being attempted 7 years after the scam came to light and everyone realized that money has been embezzled from GPF accounts. This recovery is being attempted without any judicial finding of their guilt or without any recovery suit being filed. Thus, this amounts to an apparent attempt to harass the service providers, who have either been given clean chit by CBI or who have been pardoned & made approver by the CBI Court.

The committee constituted by the High Court had one judicial member who rejected all the pleas of the service providers. When the writs were filed in the High Court by these service providers in March 2015, the same person filed the counter afffdiavit and made averments even contrary to the CBI’s final report. In May 2015, the same individual was transferred by the Allahabad High Court to preside over the same CBI Court hearing the Ghaziabad PF Scam where he joined on 7th May 2015. As CBI Judge, he hurriedly started taking the evidence of the CBI approvers in his own manner and at the same time he directed the tehsildar and kotwali police to forcibly recover the amount from the service providers.

The same officer in the administrative capacity passes the recovery order, then justifies his own order in the counter affidavit and he is now seized with the matter on judicial side, shows how process of justice is sought to be subverted.

The High Court, in August 2015, rejected the stay applications moved by the service providers after 5 months after exchange of pleadings and refused to decide the main writ petitions. The judge who headed the bench of the High Court, as per my information, is the administrative in-charge of Ghaziabad courts, but he did not recuse himself. Fortunately, in the SLP filed by 9 such service providers against the rejection of the stay application, the Supreme Court has presently stayed the recovery proceedings.

In fact, the wife of main accused Late Ashutosh Asthana has petitioned the CBI Court that properties bought by her late husband be auctioned at current market rate for full recovery of embezzled money, but those applications have been kept pending. The actions of the CBI judge and the High Court of Allahabad appear to be designed to terrorise the approvers and those discharged so that apparently those who are involved in the scam, including the judges, are saved.

Therefore, I request you to intervene and use your office, in order to see that the process of justice is not subverted in this case that involves a scam involving the judiciary. The recovery proceedings against the service providers must be immediately dropped. The special judge, CBI Court be removed/transferred since he obviously has a conflict of interest having dealt with recovery proceedings on the administrative side. The evidence recorded by him be scrapped and recorded afresh by a new judge.

How this PF scam is dealt by the High Court of Allahabad on its judicial and administrative side would have significant impact on the confidence of the people in the judiciary in general and Allahabad High Court in particular. Credibility of the judiciary is at stake.